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Gerald Taylor

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Gerald Taylor

Cover of Genii (1976)
BornSeptember 1, 1927
DiedJanuary 21 2022 (age 94)
NationalityAustralian
Websitehttp://geraldtaylor.com.au/

Gerald Taylor (b.1927) established and ran Aladdin's Magic Shop (1966-1980), and later purchased Bernard's Magic Shop (1986-1992) in Melbourne, Australia. He has contributed to numerous magic journals and publications.

Biography

Seeing The Great Levante (Les Levante) perform his How's Tricks magical revue at Her Majesty's Theatre in Brisbane in 1941 inspired Gerald to become a magician. They would later became good friends.

He began performing at an early age, billing himself as Australia's Youngest Magician for his performance at Cremorne Theatre at the age of 15.

He joined a concert party to entertain troops over the 1940-1941 period of the war years. An inaugural member of the Queensland Society of Magicians circa 1941, he was their youngest member. During the war years 1943 to 1945, he performed at the American Red Cross Services Club on many occasions. Charles Wicks, who established the International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM) in Australia asked Gerald to form a Brisbane Ring. The inaugural dinner of the Brisbane Jean Hugard Ring No. 124 was held on Monday 8th June 1953 and Taylor was elected President. He would remain in this office until he resigned from it around 1961.

In October 1955 the Abbot's Magical Company of USA purchased the manufacturing rights to produce a production box invented by Gerald in 1945 called "The Box of Pam".

Throughout the 1950s, he presented a number of two night and four night shows of magic at both the All Saint's Hall and the Albert Hall in the city of Brisbane. First with James Reid and then solely by Taylor with two other variety artists on the bill.

Taylor worked extensively in television during his career, making his screen debut on the first Variety show televised by the ABC in Brisbane in 1959. He later appeared on numerous shows in the mid 1960s. The thousand pound Key Test (later $2000's) devised by Taylor was first presented on QTQ9 on the 21st September 1960.

He performed privately for the Governor of Queensland, Sir Henry Abel Smith at his 1959 New Year's Eve party and again in 1963.

Taylor established and ran Aladdin's Magic Shop between 1966 and 1980, and later purchased Bernard's Magic Shop (1986-1992) in Melbourne's Elizabeth St.[1]

He devised and set up a "Magical Hall of Fame" and performed at the Magic Castle on the Gold Coast, QLD in 1981. This site became a theme park called " Magic Mountain". Gerald resigned from Magic Mountain at the end of January 1986 and it ultimately closed a year later in 1987.

In 1993, he was asked by the Performing Arts Museum in Melbourne to describe in detail the Magical items that had been donated to them throughout the years. After completing the Magical collection, stayed on, itemizing the extensive J.C. Williamson Theatres Ltd., collection and others. As a magical historian, Gerald was asked by the Performing Arts Museum to present a one hour talk on magic. This was so successful that it was again presented later in 1994 in the foyer of the George Fairfax Studio. Then for the National Trust at " Como" in 1995 and at the Victoria College of the Arts in 1996.[2][3]

Awards and honors

  • Award for "A Revolutionary Approach to Black Art" by the I.B.M. (1962)
  • Inner Magic Circle of the Magic Circle of London with Gold Star M.I.M.C..
  • International Brotherhood of Magicians USA, Order of Merlin - Excelsior
  • Green Mill Award by the Performing Arts Museum in Melbourne (1992) for his "lifetime commitment to the art of illusion in Australia and to the preservation of its traditions and history."
  • "Lifetime Achievement Award in Australian Magic" at the Silver Anniversary Magical Convention held at the World Congress Centre in Melbourne (1996)

Books

  • "The Classical Technique of Fire Eating"
  • "Magical Nights at the Theatre" (editor and publisher,1980)
  • "Companion to Theatre in Australia" (1995)
  • "The Encyclopaedia of Melbourne" (contributor, 2005)

References

  1. http://collections.artscentremelbourne.com.au/paminter/imu.php?request=browse&irn=2090
  2. http://geraldtaylor.com.au/
  3. Cover: Genii 1976 January